The Chicago Blackhawks needed to recover from their loss in Utah on Tuesday, a game that felt like an NHL setup for failure, allowing Utah to celebrate their first victory in the new city. However, the Hawks showcased strong performance in two periods, giving them optimism as they headed into a series of games in Canada, starting with Winnipeg.
As they faced the Jets on Friday in the first game of a back-to-back, Arvid Soderblom took over as goalie for the first time in the 2024-25 season. With Laurent Brossoit sidelined, Soderblom stepped back into the primary backup role until Brossoit is back in action. After a tough previous season that saw him finish with a dismal 5-22-2 record, an .880 save percentage, and a 3.92 GAA, Soderblom delivered one of his best performances as a Blackhawk on Friday night.
He successfully stopped 33 of 35 shots and appeared poised to secure a victory in Winnipeg. However, the young goalie fell short, and the Hawks ultimately lost 2-1 in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets. The Hawks initially took the lead when Ryan Donato scored with a stunning wrist shot past Connor Hellebuyck in the second period. Despite their strong play and the early advantage, the Jets capitalized late in the game. With their goalie pulled, they secured a crucial face-off in the Hawks’ zone, leading to Mark Scheifele scoring from a rebound by Nikolaj Ehlers with just over a minute left. In overtime, Scheifele executed a perfect give-and-go with Kyle Connor to net the game-winner for the Jets.
Although Soderblom played exceptionally well and the Hawks performed admirably, the Jets, as the stronger team, managed to secure the win late in the game. Despite the overtime defeat, this performance serves as a positive stepping stone for the Blackhawks, indicating growing cohesion and promising development from their young goaltender.
